Surrounded by pine forests and vineyards, Casa Monarca is located at
the entrance to the Natural Park of the Cumbre Vieja in Las
Manchas area (720m height) on the west side of the Beautiful
Island, declared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

100% environmentally compatible and sustainable and independent

Climate adapted criteria characterize the construction
of the natural stone cladded house with the typical Canarian wooden roof
that maintain optimal temperature and humidity throughout the year.

Solar
panels, that follows the sun Sunflower system
and a wind turbine are responsible for producing and
accumulating of the necessary energy.

Rainwater as well as daily used tap water — is recycled and reused
for watering the garden and fruit trees.

With Casa Monarca, we would like to offer you a comfortable
stay but also invite you to learn to knowplants and birds, collect fruit and eggs,
use organic products and natural soaps, to make compost
and recycle.

The house, which is located in an area of 3500m² with
panoramic views of the mountains and the sea, invites for rest and contemplation.
The isolated house is good situated and has also private
parking. The land includes a garden with fruit trees,
a wind protected place with pergola for taking sunbath,
deck chairs and hammocks and open-air run for our friends,
the hens.

Inside the comfortable and cosy living room with sofas
and handmade carpets invites you to relax and in the cooler month to
spend pleasant moments next to the wood stove. A full equipped
kitchen, a bedroom with double bed and a shower
bath complete the rooms.

With
the deco we attached importance to simple model craft and gave priority
to handmade or fair trade products.

Textiles and bedclothes are natural, 100% cotton and
moreover, everything is done to minimize the use of plastic and to recycle
as much as possible.

In Casa Monarca, we dedicate us to the rearing of the native
Jabada-chicken breed. They are fed on natural and organic feed,
which guarantees the quality of the eggs you can collect and eat at
your leisure. They run around in a large space next to the house and
their favourite plant is vinagrera Rumex lunaria, a kind of
sorrel, which you can collect and feed to them.

Photovoltaic

The sun is the primary energy source and the climate
of the Canary Islands with approximately 3000
hours of annual sunshine facilitates obtaining clean and renewable
energy, which provide us. We convert solar energy into electricity.

Our photovoltaic system works with Sunflower System whose Solar
Tracker follows the angle of the sun to obtain maximum load.
So we get 40% increment of energy.

Static
accumulators allow us to store energy. The charge controller tells us the status of the battery
at any time and we can check the stored / consumed energy and the reserve.
The inverter converts the voltage from 12V to 220V for domestic use.

In extraordinary case of adverse weather conditions, a generator guarantees
the minimum necessary for domestic use.

Solar thermal ernergy

It consists in the use of sun energy by the use of solar thermal
collectors. The panel captures sunlight and absorbs the energy
and converts it into hot water in a system of tubes which is stored
in a 150L tank.

Wind energy

Wind
is another inexhaustible source that nature offers us. The wind
turbine or windmill helps us to keep the batteries
charged. Teamwork is always good, and at night and on cloudy and windy
days it’s an extra recharge.
Inside the house an ampere-meter informs us about the wind.

Water
Water treatment is one of the best type of cost reduction in
the household, especially for sustainable water use.

Water
treatment
Wastewater includedes grey water or tap water (from kitchen, bathroom,
washing machine) and sewage water. Both are biologically treated in
two steps for their reuse:

2nd tank biological filter;
oxidation of organic matter by micro organisms in the water and oxygen
addition.

Finally the depurated water will be reused for watering fruit trees.

Recovery
of rainwater
A deposit of 8000L is installed to collect rain water, the best water
for garden plants.

Drinking water purification Osmosis
This system allows you to filter off 95% of impurities from the tap
water. So we obtain pure water, crystalline, without odours, salts or
metal residues. We improve our health and, in addition, we avoid buying
plastic. The water is ideal for drinking, cooking and washing fruits
and vegetables.
You can make sure that using osmosis-water you don’t need no longer
to buy heavy bottled water and its quality will convince you.
You will find 2 water-taps in the kitchen: One of them is equipped with
the reverse osmosis system and you can use whenever you want.

100% ecological
and sustainable

Solar and wind energy cover all of our energy needs

Living in a self-sufficient and ecologically oriented house where we
can live in peace with our self and with nature is possible. To do this, we must give a series of objectives and priorities:

1. Use of clean energy.

2. Build and maintain our home with what we have and what nature gives us.

3. Build the house according to bioclimatic
criteria, take into account the orientation, isolation and
the best ventilation to get a proper temperature and humidity that will save energy.4. Planting fruit trees, keeping some chickens or create a vegetable
garden and collect rainwater. This way, the house not only gives
us shelter but also food and drink.

5.Change our habits. Using eco-friendly cleaning and
hygiene products without chemical ingredients, to improve our health
and the health of the planet.

6. Valuing handicraft, natural products and promote fair trade.7.Recycle any type of
residues and minimize the use of plastic.
In our house you will find different garbage cans for waste
separation. In the outdoor area a 2m² composter changes
organic waste into valuable fertilizer for plants and trees. The composting
process is simple and very useful.
In Casa Monarca La Palma, we will guide and advise you in the handling
of compost; what is compostable and what not, how long
takes the transformation in compost…

Casa Monarca is located 25km from the airport.
Take the main road towards Los Llanos by Cumbre (mountains) to El Paso.
Then turn to Tacande-Las Manchas. At the Montaña
Rajada, follow the access from app. 400m to the house.

Distances

Walks and bicycle tours:
Right here, from Casa Monarca you can start to one of the most significant
hiking path on the sland Ruta de los Volcanes Volcano Route.
Four more routes start from the Refugio de El Pilar (shelter of El Pilar/El
Paso), including the astronomical viewpoint of Llano de Los Jables.

This project focuses on the expansion of the host plants »Asclepias«
because the butterfly thrives only on them. Their caterpillar feeds
only and exclusively this leaves. In the plantations around the house
you can enjoy the graceful flight of this emblematic butterflies and
be witness to the metamorphosis. Without a doubt, an experience you
will not forget!

From May to October, the Monarch butterfly Danaus Plexippus
visits the holiday house.

»Asclepias curassavica«

Host plant for eggs and larvae of the monarch butterfly.

Copulation and egg deposition

After copulation, the female lays 4-40 eggs. Mother Monarch selects
the tender leaves to lay her eggs. Usually on the lower side of the
leaves where the eggs will be better protected from predators and bad
weather. The problem is that the »Asclepias« is rare and
therefore the importance of the project and its promotion.

Larva first phase

Just after birth the larvae consume their egg cases and after having
developed their mandible feed leaves. First feeds the most tender leaves
and then the bigger once. At this stage, they missed their antennae
and their characteristic stripes.

Caterpillar

Tireless eater of »Asclepias« can not remains without food.
And here it needs our competence and care — otherwise it will
die.

Chrysalis

The larva leaves the plant where it was born and grew up to initiate
metamorphosis. It seeks a place where it adheres strongly with a kind
of white silk pad to keep fixed remain in this position to wait...

It will change from a bright green to a darker colour until the characteristically
orange of the Monarch butterfly can be seen.

From breaking the pupal cuticle to eclosion lasts 2 minutes. It strongly
clings on tight until its wings are dry and hard.

Your cooperation is important:

Do not hesitate to ask us for the seeds of the »Asclepias«
plants if you have the opportunity to sow it, it’s a pleasure for
us to send it to you. Or tell your friends or acquaintances of this project.

La Palma is an island of contrasts with its steep gradient that goes
from sea level up to 2.426m altitude at the Roque de Los Muchachos,
highest peak of the island.
In the northern third of the island is a large depression caused by
erosion forming the Caldera de Taburiente, declared
a National Park in 1954.

35% of La Palma are protected since 2006, the first place in the world
declared sustainable tourism destination.

In the area called Cumbre Vieja, which crosses the
island from the centre to the south, is a series of volcanoes.
Including San Antonio, San Juan and
Teneguia (last volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands in 1971).

The island also has the Natural Parks of Cumbre Vieja and Las
Nieves and a series of smaller sizes protected areas. In 1983,
El Canal y los Tilos area is classified as Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO,
later in 1997, expanded to form the Biosphere Reserve of Los
Tilos.

Finally, in 2002, the reserve extends over the whole island under the
name of Biosphere Reserve of La Palma.
Getting away from the inner part of the island and its mountains, in
short time we reach the sea and with it the Reserva Marina de
La Palma (Marine Reserve of La Palma), established in 2001,
to preserve marine life on the coast of this beautiful island.

Walking

La Palma, the hiker island.
The footpath network covers the entire island following
the traditional paths used for centuries by its inhabitants.

At La Palma, the walker will meet a huge variety of climates,
reliefs and natural and cultural landscapes: from the warmer
coast areas to the highest mountains that exceed 2000m but also passes
through the cultures of »medianias« (medium altitudes),
forests of pine and laurel and volcanic landscapes.

There are three types of paths
The trails are marked with initials and numbers on a total of 1000kms.

GR or Great Route: It
lasts more than one day. There are the GR130 which covers the whole
island in a circular manner, through the main villages without encountering
large gradients. Route GR131 unites two roads: The Ruta de Los Volcanes
(volcano route) and the Ruta de La Crestería (ridge route).

PR or Short Route: You
can walk it in one day. There are 19 primary and 23 secondary routes.

SL or Local Path: It is
less than 10km and combines bigger routes. The identification mark
reflects the borough to which the path belongs.

Right at Casa Monarca you find a local trail to start the walk to Lavas
de San Juan (San Juan volcano’s lava river PRLP14.1)
which ends in the village of San Nicolás and passes through the
Natural Park of the Cumbre Vieja.
This path also takes you to Refugio del Pilar and for a less difficult
route (PRLP14) to El Paso or you can opt for it for a medium difficult
level walk (PRLP16 and PRLP19).

The famous Ruta de los Volcanes (Volcano Route GR131)
to Fuencaliente also starts at the same place.

Astro turism

Stars Island ...
The astronomical quality of La Palma is classified as exceptional and
protected since 1988 by the "Sky Law", which covers the light
contamination, electromagnetic radiation and also the aviation routes
to protect the work of the Observatory of the Roque de los Muchachos (altitude 2,426m) one of the most comprehensive and advanced installation
in the world.

The climate and geographical characteristics of the area create a pure
and unspoiled atmosphere without turbulence which is stabilized by the
ocean and trade winds. There is a network of 14 natural astronomy viewpoints created to enjoy starry nights. At Casa Monarca viewing conditions
are privileged at any time of the year.

Flora

The spectacular biodiversity of flora on La Palma is based on two main
reasons: geographic isolation and abundance
of microclimates.
The explanation of this wealth is twofold. First, when the island emerged
from the water (there are 2 million years), many species
of the Mediterranean, northern Africa and the oldest Canary Islands
colonized the new territory. Then they continued to evolve, isolated
by the ocean, to be converted into different original species.

The second reason for this fantastic biodiversity is
the huge variety of climatic conditions. The steepness
of the island facilitates the appearance of areas with very different
humidity, temperature and exposure to the sun conditions.

Following
the influence of the trade winds, the island is divided into two distinct
areas: the north-east with more days of rain and drier
and warmer south-western part. The island is one of
the highest in the world in relation to its width. This causes a significant contrast between the species that are adapted to the
climate medium altitudes (medianias) and those who prefer extremely
temperatures high on the mountains.

We will show you a few species in the vicinity of the Casa Monarca.

Wildlife

Taking into account the characteristics of the island of La Palma wildlife
is varied: birds, reptiles and invertebrates concentrate
most of the endemic species.
The typical bird of La Palma is the so called grajaPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax barbarus, Red-billed Chough. It has
been observed that in the past it had also colonized other islands but
it survived only in the territory of La Palma. Another most common bird
is the BuzzardButeo buteo insularum, ssp..

The Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus canariensos and the Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipter nisus,
who rarely leaves the forest, complete this group.
Nocturnal animals are the Long-eared OwlAsio otus and Barn OwlTyto alba.
In the forest the protagonists are the subspecies of the Common
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs palmae and Blue
TitParus caeruleus palmensis who share the neighbourhood
with the blackbirdTurdus merula cabrerae and Tenerife GoldcrestRegulus teneriffae.

The Western Canarias Lizard from La PalmaGallotia
galloti palmae, endemic to La Palma, plays a key roll in the islands
ecosystem. Necessary, for example, for the survival of birds of prey
and scavengers. Adult males develop a blue spot in the lower part of
the neck, which justifies its popular name of Blue Beard.

Animal lovers

In Casa Monarca care is taken not only of butterflies but also all animals.
You can easily identify your new neighbours (reptiles, birds, mammals,
insects, ...) by photos and illustrations inside the house.
Pets are welcome and if you want, you can use the doghouse outside —
if your travelling companion agrees. We work with various associations
for animal protection. Unfortunately, it’s impossible
to satisfy the needs on the beauty island.

If you like to collaborate in adopting an animal (if only temporarily)
or as a sponsor / flight attendant, contact us.